A Slight Deviation to the Routine
by soymilklatte
Summary: Olive reflects on what her life has become.


She hasn't always been this jealous person. When Ned first opened The Pie Hole and it pretty much had just been the two of them baking pies and trying to build a business, that had been her sole focus. Sure, she'd always had a crush on him but who wouldn't? Charming and handsome with just the right amount of awkward; what's not to love?

Then one day, out of the blue, private detective Emerson Cod comes in and he keeps coming in until he is an unofficial part of the bakery. Still, that's all right too, even though Ned and Emerson disappear sometimes and neither will tell her where they're going or what they're doing but she doesn't let it bother her too much. She figures it has to do with whatever case Emerson is currently working on but she still hasn't figured out how Ned fits into that world. Ned's a baker, not a detective, right? Back to the point, that's not to say that she wouldn't like to be in the loop but she has pies to bake and customers to charm and Digby to look after. She makes due. If someone were to ask, she would've said she was happy. Or, content at the very least.

For a while, this was Olive's life. She worked, nurtured her crush for Ned, baked pies, and charmed their customers. A few mysterious outings with Emerson wasn't enough to change her heart or her daily routines. So, as it always does, life went on.

Then, one day, there was a story on the news about the murder of the ' _Lonely Tourist_ ' some poor girl named Charlotte Charles. She felt bad for the woman, of course she did, but as with most stories like that on the news they don't really have the ability to effect one's life in a personal way. Unless said person had some sort of personal connection to the story that is. Still, Olive assumed that life would continue on as it always did.

Or it did until a few days later when Ned and Emerson did another of their disappearing acts. Olive hadn't thought anything of it at the time but a few hours later they came back and for some reason Emerson was mad and it was all directed at Ned. Ned, who had apparently, made a new friend and brought her home.

Chuck, really now, what kind of name is Chuck for a girl? Olive could see right away that Chuck was a direct threat to her fantasy relationship with Ned. Still, it wouldn't do to be rude so she decided that she would make the best of a bad situation. Even though her heart was broken when she realized how Ned obviously returned Chuck's romantic interests. She had thought he was just shy and he still seemed to be but with Chuck, he was a little less shy.

Olive Snook was no quitter. The Pie Hole meant as much to her as it did to Ned so leaving was not even considered and really, despite the fact that Ned and Chuck seemed to have romantic feelings towards each other, it didn't seem like there was anything actually happening between them. At first she had thought there was, what with Chuck basically moving in to Ned's apartment and all, but the more she watched them the more confused she was over what the nature of their relationship actually was.

Emerson's remarks about how Ned feels about Chuck wasn't anything Ned had ever or would ever feel for her were unnecessary as far as she was concerned but she wasn't going to let that deter her either. Yet, even with all of this newness and upsetting of routines and excitement, Olive Snook carried on. Her heart might be bruised, maybe broken, but she still had pies and customers and commitments and Digby because the fact was that she could handle all of this just fine; no, the real issue she has is something else.

Olive isn't stupid and she isn't as oblivious as everyone seems to think. She knows that Ned and Emerson have always had their secrets and she was okay with that. So, she wasn't invited into their little boys club, so what? She could live with that just fine and she had, thank you very much. No, the problem is that Chuck was granted instant membership. Olive knows in her gut that Chuck has been made privy to all their secrets and that is what really hurts.

The facts Olive has, are these: She has been with Ned for years, as a friend and supporter (even though she wished she could be more). She has known Emerson for a while now too and even though he likes to tease and some of his words can be a bit sharp, he's a good man who does the best he can. So, why was Chuck allowed into their inner circle and not her?

Do they not see her at all? Has she done something or said something to make them think she can't be trusted? That she can't keep a secret? Good Lord, all she does anymore is keep secrets. She's keeping it a secret that, for some reason, Chuck faked her own death. Also, she hasn't told Ned that she's been visiting Chuck's aunts, delivering special pies and making sure they're all right. And, yeah, okay she even tells Chuck some of what her aunts talk about, she doesn't tell everything. So, what is it about her, specifically? These people, even Chuck, who she has come to view as family; do they not see her the same way?

Olive shakes off her sad thoughts, she is handling pies and pies are something that make people feel happy and loved but for that to work the people baking and serving them have to be full of happiness and love as well. And that is something that Olive takes seriously.

She finishes getting The Pie Hole ready to open for the day. The deliveries are stacked and waiting, the coffee is brewing, and the first pies of the day are sliced and placed in the display case. Olive takes one last look around, admires her work, and unlocks the door. With any luck, maybe Alfredo will stop by today. If her heart wasn't set on Ned, she thinks, it would definitely be set on Alfredo.

She turns as the door opens bringing the first customers of the day. She fixes a smile on her face and prepares herself to help make someone else's day a little bit brighter.

"Welcome to The Pie Hole. What can I get you this morning?"


End file.
